Oppopinions: Test Driving Cars With No Intention to Buy

"P5guy now GTIguy" (p5guy)
01/17/2015 at 11:39 • Filed to: None

Do any of you guys ever go test drive cars just for the hell of it ? It's super nice this weekend and it seems like the perfect thing to do today but the massive guilt of wasting a salesperson's time prevents me from doing so. It's even hard to pretend to be a serious buyer because I'm college age and I'm not sure I'd be taken seriously. So Oppo, what do you guys have to say on the matter ?

Here's an LFA for your time.

DISCUSSION (31)

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 11:44

I really want to do that, but I would feel really bad about it

jkm7680 > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 11:44

No, That's a complete waste of time for the salesman. He could be making money with a paying customer instead of having you test drive a car that you don't have any intention of actually buying.

Tipo Stradale Fever > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 11:45

What I feel about somebody testdriving my car without the intent to buy...hmmm....Let me put it this way; It's like somebody fucking your daughter without the intention of marrying her.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 11:45

Sometimes. I test drove a BRZ with no intention of buying it. I ended up buying it.

ttyymmnn > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 11:45

Trust your feelings, Luke.

yamahog > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 11:46

I'm 24 and not planning on buying until this spring. I didn't even mention plans to buy with the dealer when I called ahead and asked to schedule a test drive with the manual Camaro SS they had on their lot, and he gave me the keys and sent me on my way. No high pressure talk afterwards either, he just gave me his card and said he was confident I'd come back when I was ready to buy after shopping around. Overall, good experience.

Definitely call ahead if you don't want to feel like you're wasting their time.

Clown Shoe Pilot > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 11:47

I've done it. I make my intentions perfectly clear at the outset. Also, probably don't do it on a weekend.

Anyway, it goes like this: "I have no intention of buying this car or any car. However, I have read good things about this car and wanted to drive one if you have the time for a test drive." Then, if it's a slow day and the guy is cool, he'll go get the keys.

Sn210 > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 11:48

I've thought about doing this a bunch of times to experience some different cars, but I haven't yet because I'd feel too guilty about wasting the guy's time

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 11:50

I have but haven't. Took a Gen Coupe out knowing I wasn't planning on buying [yet]. Was more so a "when I plan on buying a new car I'd like to know if I'll want this one"

P5guy now GTIguy > Sn210
01/17/2015 at 11:53

That's me in a nutshell, I want to be able to drive as many cars as possible but I can't bring myself to do that to people that are making their livings selling.

P5guy now GTIguy > Clown Shoe Pilot
01/17/2015 at 11:54

If I ever decide to that might be the best route to take.

P5guy now GTIguy > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
01/17/2015 at 11:57

Congrats on the BRZ, it's actually on my list of cars I'd want to take a look at but the difference between me and you is I can't afford that car right now.

ttyymmnn > Clown Shoe Pilot
01/17/2015 at 11:58

Honesty is always the best policy. Unless you're a politician.

Sam > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 12:07

Don't do it on a weekend. You're much less likely to waste his time on a weekday, when there probably won't be many customers.

Make your intentions clear. Say something along the lines of, "I have no intention of buying at the moment, but I want to try it out if you have the time." The salesman may just view you as someone he needs to try extra hard to sell to.

Scout the dealership. Look around to see how many other people are around. If you're literally the only one there, you probably won't waste his time going on a 10 minute drive. If there are a ton of people looking at cars, his time would be better spent elsewhere.

Nisman > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 12:08

I did this only once, I wanted to buy a Maxima but there wasn't one in the area that I was interested in. Found one with too many miles and test drove it to get a feel for the car, then I bought one a couple of states over that had the right options, mileage, etc. I kind of felt bad, but in that case it was a shitty dealership and I didn't feel too bad about wasting their time. The car had issues...

Tohru > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 12:12

Don't do it on a weekend. They are busy trying to sell to real customers.

yamahog > Tipo Stradale Fever
01/17/2015 at 12:14

Kinja'd!!!

Widget_Master > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 12:23

A friend of mine was once a salesmen at a Ford dealership. Their sales team was having a competition (with $ incentive) to see who could give the most test-drives, period. He invited me down to test-drive 5 vehicles, and to top it off, he paid me $20. That Roush Mustang was sweet. Anyways, it probably depends on the dealership/salesman if going in for a test drive only would highly frowned upon.

Widget_Master > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 12:25

They may try and convince you that you can afford it haha

$28S4 > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 12:31

I used to do this all the time. I would tell them upfront I didn't know if I wanted to buy this particular car, but I was looking to drive one to see if I wanted to keep that particular model on my short list. I always kept the test drive reasonably short and then thanked them for their time when I was done.

This only works with dealerships though, I would never go and test drive someone's personal car like that.

macanamera > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 12:34

Eh, I test drove an MP4-12C once just for fun. I had exactly 0% intention to buy. I have no regrets.

Twinpowermeansoneturbo > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 12:57

Don't do it. Just don't. ESPECIALLY, not on a Saturday. That is when we make our money. Not to mention, depending who you get, they'll realize you're stroking (car salesman speak for wasting someone's time) them and broom (car salesman speak for kicking your ass out) you. And then if you ever go back and actually want to buy a car, that sales guy will avoid you like the plague and not give you the time of day.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 12:58

Kinda depends... I've never gone to a new car lot and wasted a dealers time. But I've spent many hours looking at sub $3500 cars on craigslist and driving them without buying. I don't know it doesn't seem as wrong.

Dean > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 13:06

Fair Disclosure. I am currently in dealer marketing, but I was sales for a few years before that. I deal with Salespeople and managers all day long.

The general opinion is right. Do it when nobody is around, and most nice salespeople would be fine with it. Be accommodating, friendly, and honest and hopefully they will be in return. Also, do try to work with them a little bit, they do have to report to their managers, who may not want to hear "that he just wanted to drive it". Realize the sales atmosphere is generated by the management, not the sales staff. You will get some jerks, but most guys won't care, really. Do, however, realize that you are taking them out of line for a "real" up, if you have no intent to spend money, now or ever, because you are driving your 1994 Miata until you die. If there's a rotation, they now have to go to the back, and that can take 4-6 hours on a slow day. If it's 6PM on a slow day and he was "up", this may mean he will not have another opportunity for the rest of the day, so you might as well be as friendly as possible. As well, please do not keep the guy late, or the dealership open, for joyriding.

Also, expecting to drive something low production, special, is probably the wrong way to get a no-strings ride, but it can make it way easier if you find something that's slightly used to drive. They are generally more receptive to putting miles on a used car. For example: when we get Shelby's in, it's a no-test-drive-without-deposit policy. Otherwise, we'd have 10 people a day putting 10-12 miles on the car, and nobody wants a "new" car with 3,000 miles. However, when we get a used one in, we call all our guys who are on the fence on ordering a new one, and rack the miles up on it.

Finally, please do not make the guy feel uncomfortable, weather speeding, reckless driving, or distracted driving. Remember, it's not your car, and his job / life may be on the line. I have literally been scared on test drives before, and it's a really tough thing, on top of an already demanding job, because you aren't sure weather you should ask them to stop the action, stop the car, or what, and if you would offend them in doing such.

P.S. Being nice and friendly and honest will make your dealership experience much better regardless of your reason for being there. These guys are tired of getting beat up by defensive / aggressive jerks all day who think it's the only way to talk to a dreaded CAR DEALER. Being friendly can get you far.

Jayhawk Jake > Clown Shoe Pilot
01/17/2015 at 13:54

Exactly this. Be honest. If they say no, say thank you and leave. If they say yes then it's their decision so you clearly aren't wasting their time too much

P5guy now GTIguy > Dean
01/17/2015 at 13:59

Thanks for the advice, you make some really good points.

greenagain > Clown Shoe Pilot
01/17/2015 at 16:23

Yes. If you're going to go joyriding do it during the week, during the day when the salesman's time isn't as valuable.

OkCars- 22k Crossroads > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 17:23

I dont because its watting the guys time. And potential moneu making woth another customer.

But a friend does it. Because he doesnt give a shit about them.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > P5guy now GTIguy
01/17/2015 at 19:57

Myself and a group of friends pissed off a few Carmax salesmen by playing what we called, "The Camax Game", I brought my 1994 Volvo 850, one friend brought a 2006 Dodge ram with 266,000 miles, and another brought a 1994 Honda Del Sol with structural damage. The goal of the game was to see who would get the highest offer. I got offered $250 for the Volvo, the ram got $4,000, and the Del Sol got $2,000. Overall it was a fun way to spend a friday afternoon.

Kevin Barrett > P5guy now GTIguy
06/18/2015 at 23:58

I must confess, when I was an idiot college student in the early 2000s, I did this every other weekend. The economy hadn’t collapsed yet, and there was money everywhere (but yes, I was still a little snot). I drove 350Zs, an RX-8, a Mazdaspeed Miata, a Trans-Am WS6 (with a 6-speed, no less...that car didn’t need six gears), and lots of others. Oh to be a selfish jerk again...

P5guy now GTIguy > Kevin Barrett
06/19/2015 at 01:13

I’m that age right now and there are plenty of dealers in my college town, but I don’t think my conscience would let me do it.